NOTE1 :
Some of the pictures may be a little different than what you see. Ask for
help if you need it!

NOTE 2 : IF
YOU HAVE TROUBLE READING THIS SCREEN, ASK FOR OR GET A COLORED SCREEN COVER
FOR YOUR MACHINE.

In this Task, you will...

change the background of your desktop.

select a screen saver and its
timing for your desktop.

print and save your work.

When you complete this task, you will
evaluate yourself. You will complete a Rubric (Self-Evaluation Form).

Read the
Rubric and the Checklist before you begin. Then return to this page.

CLICK
THE ARROW TO GO TO THE RUBRICS AND CHECKLIST.

Your desktop is
what you see on your computer screen when it first opens. On you
desktop, you will see icons (small images) with titles at the bottom.
These images are called "SHORTCUTS" because they take you to
places with information about the item you click.

For example, you will see your
"MY COMPUTER" icon. Double-click (left-click twice very
quickly) on the MY COMPUTER icon and a "window" (box) will
appear.

Close that window by
clicking on the "X" at the top of the window.

There are more icons or shortcuts on
your desktop. Click on a few and close them after you watch different
windows open up. Just click on the "X" every time.

Now you are ready to look at your
desktop properties. Your machine may look a little different, but the
selections should be there.

RIGHT-CLICK on any open
space on your desktop. You will see a box appear. LEFT CLICK on
PROPERTIES.

The box that opens will have
tabs at the top. On the image at the left, you will see tabs for Themes,
Desktop, Screen Saver, Appearance and Settings. The tab for
"Themes" is selected in the image at the left. Click on each tab
on your computer to see what choices you have.

Click
on the "Desktop" Tab.

Under "BACKGROUND" you'll see a
small box with several choices. Scroll through the choices. (Click on the
"DOWN ARROW" or hold down the little bar on the right and pull
down). As you select each name, the screen above the box will show you
what it looks like. Try several until you find what you want.

If you want a solid color, select the first
name, "NONE." Then go to the "COLOR" choice on the
right, and select a solid color for your background. Under the
"POSITION" selection, click on "STRETCH" if you want
your choice to cover the whole screen. Try different choices in this
DESKTOP window.

[If you want a picture on your desktop, ask
for help. You will need a photo, maybe your family or pet, scanned into
your computer. After that, you will go to the "BROWSE"
selection, find the photo on your desktop (ususally under the "MY
PICTURES" folder) and select it as your background.]

Before you click "OK," click on
the SCREEN SAVER tab.

A screen saver is an animation that keeps
your monitor healthy. When you are not using the computer, the screen
saver comes on and moves images on your desktop. Under the "SCREEN
SAVER" title, click on the arrow next to the box and select a screen
saver. As you click, you will see what each image looks like in the screen
in the center of your window. Notice that you can decide how log you want
to wait before your screen save appears (WAIT BOX). You can also

Now click on the "APPEARANCE"
tab. If you want, select a color scheme in the same way you made other
selections in this task. A color scheme will affect how your open
documents will look. Play with different options until you are ready to
see the results. You can also see the results as you go along by click the
OK button.

When
your desktop looks the way you want it, click OK and the DESKTOP
PROPERTIES window will close.

If your instructor wants a copy of your
work, simply press the PRNTSCRN (Print Screen) button once on your key
board. Then open a Microsoft Word blank document (Click
here to see instructions if you want). Once you have a new document
open, Press the CONTROL and then "C" buttons on your keyboard.
OR you may just select EDIT (menu bar) and then PASTE. You will see a copy
of your desktop appear. Save the document into a computer folder or print
it for your files off of your computer. Click here for
instructions on how to SAVE.

Go to
FILE -> SAVE. A window will open with a box that gives you a chance to
choose where you want your file. If you want, select "Desktop"
as your place.

At the bottom of the window, type in the
name of your document. Keep the name short and simple but descriptive.
Avoid long file names, use only lowercase letters and do not include
spaces. I called my file "myjournal."

The words following the period in the file
name show you the type of document you saved. Word documents are described
as .doc. The program will automatically enter the dot and the extension
(doc) for you.